ABSTRACT
There yet remains for consideration in the critical revival of the latter half of the first century a.d. the work of Quintilian, another of the major figures. For the proper understanding of the nature of Quintilian’s achievement, however, it is important to realise from the first the causes which led to the production of his work, and the particular objects he had in view. Nowhere, for instance, is a more complete indictment made of the stylistic abuses of the time than is to be found scattered throughout his pages. It is on the positive side of the subject, however, that Quintilian concentrates. There yet remains to be considered the third and last section of Quintilian’s treatment of “the arrangement of words”. Most important of all however are Quintilian’s remarks on the need for arranging words so as to obtain those rhythmical effects appropriate to all good prose.
